Materials Science Building

Planned in the late 1980s and constructed in the early 1990s, the Materials Science Building was built alongside the Optics Building and the Administrative Science Building to service the growing UAH community. This building provided a home for specialized sciences and the specialized equipment used in those fields. The construction of the building was funded from an increase in tuition and the opening was initially delayed, but opened in 1992.

In 1988, Dr. Sean McManus who had championed the formal Material Science program at UAH, worked to move building plans forward. Alongside the Optics Building, and the Administrative Science Building, Dr. Louis Padulo, President of the University of Alabama in Huntsville at the time, was searching for funding for the new construction. He had Board permission to solicit funding and approached the Chamber of Commerce. Padulo put it rather succinctly when speaking on the topic, "We don't have the money." He proposed raising tuition marginally to support the construction of these various projects.

The proposed increase in tuition received much criticism, but even after increase, UAH was still reportedly one of the cheapest major universities in the Southeast. Despite the pushback and public opposition to Dr. Padulo's tuition increase that was widely reported in the school newspapers, the new tuition program was approved by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. However, former Vice President for Finance, Ken Thompson claimed that there was no need to raise tuition rates to fund the new construction, which led to continued disagreement about Padulo's actions.

Whereas the Optics Building would eventually be funded by a government grant, the Administrative Science and Materials Science Buildings were not. Given this grant funding, students believed that it didn't make sense to increase tuition. Tension increased about the matter, up to the new construction. Despite the bumps in the road however, ground was broken on the new construction in February of 1990, targeting completion by April 1991. The opening was scheduled in 1991, but was ultimately delayed until the following year. The new construction offered a home for classes and research.

Today it houses research laboratories and classrooms related to the materials science department at UAH, and is connected by a bridge to the adjacent Optics Building. Together with the Optics Building, it houses most of UAH's sciences programs that require specialized laboratories, as opposed to the natural sciences which reside at other locations.

Crutcher, Terry. "Dr. McManus receives Dean's Service Award." Exponent (Huntsville) May 11th 1988. .2.

Sampson, Marian Delaney. "Thompson comments on new building plans." Exponent (Huntsville) April 12th 1989. 1.

Sampson, Marian Delaney. "Board of Trustees approves UAH tuition increase." Exponent (Huntsville) June 21st 1989. 1-2.

^[1] The University of Alabama in Huntsville. "Padulo speaks to Chamber of Commerce." Exponent (Huntsville) April 26th 1989. 2.

Varner, Dennis A.. "200 students rally to protest changes." Exponent (Huntsville) May 10th 1989. .1.

Craig, Curt. "Signs of rapid growth apparent on campus." Exponent (Huntsville) February 14th 1990. .1.

Shelton, Ken. "Faculty Senate Elects Officers, Discusses Finances, Passes Core Curriculum." Exponent (Huntsville) June 19th 1991. .2.